Thank you so much to Sillybeee at TDA for the wonderful chapter image!I know they say
Like the wind, I will change
Like I care anyway
That I'm never the same
I'm different every day

-"Windy Days" by Six60

Thank you so much to Sillybeee at TDA for the wonderful chapter image!I know they say
Like the wind, I will change
Like I care anyway
That I'm never the same
I'm different every day

-“Windy Day” by Six 60

“You’re going to be a father?” Chris said incredulously, “and to Emily’s baby?”

It’s Tuesday night and I’m having drinks with Frank and Chris. We do this every week and most of the time we have nothing to talk about. My impending fatherhood, however, is the topic of tonight.

“Where did you guys have sex?” Frank asked. I’ve already told them that it was at Frank and Lily’s engagement party, but I guess now Frank wants to know exactly where.

“Er,” I began. “James’ room.” Frank and Chris’ eyes get huge.

“How did you get out of there?” Chris asked.

“She woke me up in the middle of the night and made me help her make the bed. Then we apparated out of there, it was probably around four in the morning.” I replied.

“That’s disgusting.” Frank said. “James’ daughters sleep in that bed, and now you gone and contaminated it.”

“Please don’t tell him,” I asked Frank.

“Merlin Hugo,” Chris started with a chuckle. “I thought you were smarter than to have unprotected sex.”

It wasn’t exactly unprotected, to be honest. I mean we were a little too drunk to do a proper contraceptive charm, but we chose James’ room for a reason—there were condoms in the nightstand.

“I think the condom was too old and it broke,” I replied. I look down on my watch and sigh. “I have to go,” I said. “I have a long day tomorrow and I have some more work to do.”

“How responsible of you,” Frank huffed.

“One last question,” Chris said, as I begin to leave. “Was she any good?”

I laughed. “She was bloody brilliant.”

The next night I go to my parent house for dinner. Last year they started complaining that they didn’t see me enough, so now I have to go over there every Wednesday. I walk into the kitchen where my mother is cooking and my father is talking to my sister while eating cheese and crackers.

“You’re really going to change your name?” I hear my dad say. “But I thought you liked being a Weasley!”

Rose looks at me and shakes her head. This conversation surprises me, especially since my dad is so fond of Scorpius. I remember when Rose brought him home for the first time; my father hated him. But shortly after, he realized Scorpius had a love for the Chudley Canons and cooking and I think my father fell more in love with him than Rose was.

“Hi there,” I said as I walk to my mother and give her a hug before sitting next to Rose and my dad.

“Hi son,” my dad said as he patted me on the back.

“Dad, it’s not that I’d rather be a Malfoy,” she goes on to explain, “but I am his wife, I should take his name.” Ah, now I see the real problem. My father tries to forget that Scorpius’ last name is Malfoy, and he doesn’t want Rose to be associated with that family.

“But you’re such an independent person, Rosie. You don’t need to change your name for a man.” He argued back. Rose looks at him disbelievingly and then looks at mum.

“Well she’s pregnant,” I told them “with my child.” My father and Rose’s mouths drop open and my mother takes a deep breath.

“I didn’t know you were going out with Emily,” my mother responded stiffly.

“We aren’t.” I replied. “It was just a, er, one time thing.”

“Hugo!” My dad yelped. It’s strange to see him have such a visceral reaction.

Rose snorts and I glare at her.

“When did this happen?” my mother asked calmly.

“She told me on Sunday night,” I responded. “But I told her that I wanted to be part of the baby’s life and that I would help her financially. I also offered to be there during the pregnancy, but not like a husband or a lover, just a friend.”

“Well that was responsible of you,” Rose said sarcastically. She obviously sees this as a big joke, which isn’t surprising.

“Rose,” my mother warned. My father looks in shock, as if he’s having the kid.

“You okay, dad?” Rose said, looking worried.

“I…er…need to ahh…change my socks,” my father muttered before walking quickly out of the room. My mother gives me one last look and then follows him out of the room.

Rose looks at me and laughs.

“Well shit, Hugo, I don’t think you realize how screwed you are.” She said.

“Fuck off, Rose.”

“Language, Hughie.” She scolded. “You can’t speak like that in front of a child.”

I roll my eyes. Sometimes my sister can drive me nuts. I look into the kitchen, where my parents are talking in hushed tones.

“Why do you reckon Dad had such a strong reaction?” I asked Rose.

“Because he didn’t raise you to sleep around. He thought you had more integrity than that.” She responded. “Mum probably feels the same way, she’s just more collected than Dad.”

I wince. Even though I’m twenty-six, I still feel the worst when I know I’ve disappointed my parents.

Rose looks at me intently, I think she knows that she it a nerve.

“Let’s go get some drinks, yeah?” she said.

My sister knows me too well.

I’ve always been impatient, So you can imagine how much I hate waiting rooms. They make me nervous and the people waiting are never much help either. They are either biting their nails or taping their feet or looking around the room anxiously. Sometimes it’s all three.

Emily is a foot-tapper, and its making me tap my foot.

“Stop shaking your leg,” I whispered to her. She looks down at my own foot.

“You’re doing the same thing,” she responded.

“Because you are making me nervous!”

“Well I’ll only stop if you stop,”

“I can’t stop unless you stop!”

It’s at that point that a Healer comes out and calls Emily’s name. We both get up and Healer smiles sweetly.

“Welcome Mr. and Mrs. Osborne, I’m Healer Bramble” she said.

“We’re not married,” Emily told her quickly. “I’m Ms. Osborne, but you can call me Emily, and you can call him Hugo.”

“Alright Hugo and Emily, are you ready to be parents?”

I chuckle. Is this woman crazy, who’s ever ready to be parents? Especially me and Emily, we are the furthest things from ready. We both like to have fun, we like our single lifestyle, and now we’re going to be staying at home taking care of a baby.

We walk down a long hallway and the Healer weighs Emily, and then leads us to a small room.

“I’m going to step out and I want you to undress from the waist down.” The healer told Emily. Emily looks pointedly at me, as if she needed to tell me to leave.

“I wasn’t going to stay,” I said to her.

We walk out and that’s when I notice how fit Healer Bramble is. She’s tall and thin, tan with big brown eyes and long blonde hair.

We walk back in and Emily is sitting with a blanket over her and her feet up. The healer begins her examination while I stay out of the way.

“You’re about 7 weeks in,” Healer Bramble said, “so your due date is around April 12.”

“I’m going to get some brochures,” Healer Bramble stated before leaving the room.

“Give up while you’re ahead, mate,” Emily said.

“Pardon?”

“You didn’t notice the huge rock on her left hand? She’s engaged.” She continued.

I’m confused. “What the hell are you talking about, Em?”

“You were checking Healer Bramble, don’t think I didn’t notice.”

“I wasn’t checking her out, Em.” I denied.

“I’m not an idiot, Hugo.”

“Well she is fit.”

“And engaged.” Emily reminds me.

“I’m always up for a challenge.” I muttered.

“You are an animal.” Emily said disgustingly.

The door opens, and Healer Bramble comes in and hands a few brochures to Emily.

“Here’s a first-time mummy brochure, and this is for a healthy diet, and here is you’re baby’s first picture.” She says. Emily beams at the last one and calls me over to look at it. Its nothing but a little white sliver, but I can’t help but get excited. It’s my little white sliver.

“Its beautiful,” I whispered, and Emily looks at me with a startled look

“Are you kidding? There is nothing there.” She said.

“Yeah there is, right there.” I said, pointing to the white part. Emily rolls her eyes.

“What the hell has gotten into you Hugo? It’s a white blob”

“This little white blob is going to be our child, Emily! We are actually becoming parents! Next thing I know, I’ll be teaching it Quidditch, and you’ll be giving it a kiss goodbye before it boards the train for Hogwarts, and then eventually it will have to become an adult and have children of its own.”